Improvement in dredging-buckets



UivITEaD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SYM'NDS, OF OAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.`

IMPRQVEMENT IN DREDGING-BUCKETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,444, dated May 5, 1874 application filed I February 14, 1874.

ing is a specification:

My invention relates to improvements in ,the dredging apparatus for which Letters Patent No. 136,187 were granted to me on the 25th day of February, A. D. 1873; and the object of my invention is to obtain a more positive and uniform movement of the parts in opening and closing the bucket, and to increase the strength and durability of the whole structure, which objects I attain by constructing the apparatus in the manner which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of the apparatus with -the bucket opened; Fig. 2, an exterior elevation with the bucket closed; Fig. 3, an edge view of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, a detached sectional view of part of the apparatus.

As regards general construction my improved dredging-bucket is similar to that described in my aforesaid patent of February 25, 1873; the said bucket consisting of two sections, Aand A', hinged together at the top by a rod, B, and connected by four pivoted arms, I), to a frame or cross-head, F, the said pivoted arms being braced by plates a, which also serve td increase the capacity of the bucket when the latter is closed, as shown in Fig. 2. The crosshead F has eyes h h, which slide upon poles G G, pivoted to the projecting ends of the rod B of theV bucket. Upon this rod B, within the bucket, is. a central grooved pulley, H, and at each side of the same a smaller grooved pulley, I, the closing chain J being secured to the periphery of the central pulley H, and extending upwardbetween thecross-head F and a guiding-pulley, d, on the same, while short chains K K' are secured to the peripheries of the smaller pulleys I I, and to the cross-head above.

In my formerpatent separate pulleys H and I were secured permanently to the rod B, which turned with the said pulleys, and caused a rapid wearing away of the ears of The opening-chain M is forked, as in my former patent; but, instead of being secured directly to the opposite sections of the bucket, it is connected to the poles G G at-the points c c, Fig. 3, after having been passed beneath a grooved pulleys j' f on the cross-head F.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The bucket, opened to its full extent, as shown in Fig. 1, is lowered by means of the chain M, and is closed on the material to be raised by means of the chain J. The latter, before it begins to raise the bucket, is iirst unwound from the pulley H, which will turn the sleeve L in such a direction as to cause the connecting-chains K K to be wound upon the pulleys I, and the consequent drawing together ofthe cross-head F and rod B of the bucket will canse the latter to be closed through the ymedium of the pivoted arms D. In lowering the bucket by means of the forked chain M, the cross-head F will first be caused to slide upward over the poles G, or the latter downward through the crosshead, until the said cross-head and rod B have been separated to their full extent, the effect of which movement will be the openin g of the bucket, as shown in Fig. 1, as well as the unwinding of the chains K from the pulleys I, and the corresponding winding in of the chain J upon the pulley H, the parts being thus restored to aproper position for instantly closing the bucket.

The poles G G may be of any desired length, and may be used to support the bucket and its appliances in moving the same about from point to point during the operation of dredgmg.

I claim as my invention- 1. The pulleys H and I I, combined with a sleeve, L, hung loosely to the rod B'of the bucket, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of the guiding-pulley d with the sliding cross-head F and closingchain J, as specified.

3. The combination of theV forked openingchain M, pulleys ff on the cross-head, and

the poles GG, to which the ends of the said name to this specification in the presence of chain are attached, all substantially as and 'two subscribing Witnesses. for the purpose set forth.

4. The plates a, extending round the entire THOMAS SYMONDS' upper edgesof the buckets, and bracing and Witnesses: increasing the capacity thereof, as described. WVM. A. STEEL,

In testimony whereof I have signed my HARRY SMITH. 

